Device for vending cylindrical objects



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DEVICE FOR VENDING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26,1963 Inventor ALEX JAMES GARVIN m V R A G Im A DEVICE FOR VENDINGCYLINDRICAL OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1963 Inventor ALEXJAMES GARVIN FIG. 3

3 175 669 DEVICE FUR VENDIPZ G ZZYLENDREEIAL GEJECTS Alex James Garvin,Scarborough, ()ntario, Canada, assignor to Snperpaclr Vending (Euracao)N.V., Curacao, Netherlands Antilles Filed Feb. 26, 1963, ar. No. 261,10712 Claims. (Cl. 194-2) This invention relates to package vending devicesfor dispensing cylindrical objects having a uniform sine and is acontinuation-in-part of United States application Serial No. 112,896,filed May 26, 1961, now Patent Num ber 3,095,997.

In the dispensing of cylindrical objects from vending machines, theproblem of providing a smooth feed without jamming is not solved by theuse of a simple gravity feed alone. Space requirements for the vendingmachine require the use of a substantially vertical hopper within whichthe objects due to confined storage tend to am across a narrow portionof the hopper and form natural bridges therein due to the relativedimensions of the articles and the confining hopper, and the weight ofthe articles therein.

It is the main object of this invention to provide a vending devicewhich is adapted to store a quantity of cylindrical objects and toselectively dispense the objects upon the manual operation of a controllever.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a vending devicehaving an article storage hopper which by compartmentation will preventthe articles contained therein from becoming jammed in any portion ofthe storage or dispensing system.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a vending devicehaving the foregoing advantages in which battles are provided to supportand distribute the weight of articles therein and to provide spaceswithin the hopper to permit movement of at least some of the articles tobreak up natrual bridges forming therein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a vending machinewhich being operable by the insertion of a coin therein willautomatically refuse the coin upon the storage hopper being empty.

' It is a further object of this invention to provide a vending machinewhich incorporates an automatically operated sitting mechanism in thedispensing throat of the device in order to prevent jamming of thevended articles therein.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a vendingmachine having the foregoing advantages in which the sifting mechanismis balanced to permit relatively free operation thereof even when themachine is full of articles.

These and other objects and features of this invention will becomeapparent when taken in conjunction with the following specification andaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the vending device showing theexterior features thereof;

FIGURE '2 is a mid-vertical section through the vending device takenalong the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the mechanismshown in FIGURE 2 showing two operating positions thereof; and,

FIGURE 4 is a cutaway perspective view of part of the mechanism ofFIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the vending device comprises exterior case illhaving a substantially rectangular configuration adapted to encompass ahopper shown generally at 11 in the upper portion, a dispensingmechanism shown generally at 12 below hopper 11, a coin collector boxshown generally at 13 positioned below dispensing mechanism 12, and anarticle dispensing chute shown BJ ISJdlih Patented Mar. 30, 1955 icegenerally at 14 located below collector box 13 in the lowest portion ofexterior case lid. Hopper 1i and collector box 13 are provided withtumbler locks 15 and 16 respectively whereby a tamper-proof access isprovided to hopper 11 in order to replenish the supply of vendedarticles and to remove collected coins stored within collector box 13.

A conventional push-pull coin slide 17 is provided mounted on theexterior face of dispensing mechanism 12 for the purpose of receivingcoins and operating the internal mechanism.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the internal detail comprises a hopper case 13having a substantially rectangular crosssection being rigidly securedwithin exterior case 10. The hopper door 19 providing the exteriorportion of hopper 11 is shown in the normally closed position being heldby an upper lip Zil of the door 19 impinging on frame 21 of exteriorcase ill, and being held at the lower end by arm 22, connected to thelock 15, impinging upon lower frame 23 of exterior case It). Battles 2rigidly secured to the sides of hopper case 18 and extend from the frontand from the back of hopper case 18 sloping downwardly and inwardlysubstantially toward the centre of hopper case 18 in an alternatemariner.

It will be noted that both upper and lower ballles 24 are set at anangle between 30 and 45 degrees to the front and back walls of thehopper casing 18 in order that the area immediately beneath each bafiieis left free for movement of articles therein, the downward angling ofbattles 24, being sufiicient to ensure that articles cannot completelyfil such spacing as a result of their own weight. Furthermore, baffles24 are of such length that they extend to about the mid-point of hoppercasing 18 thus leaving a space for passage of articles therearoundcorresponding to approximately four diameters thereof and in any eventin excess of three diameters and providing an article feed path of atleast that width throughout hopper casing 18.

The lower baflle 24 being attached to the back wall 4 of hopper casing18 defines a space therebeneath which is further defined by the inwardlyoffset portion of said back wall of hopper casing 18 whereby asubstantial cavity is created in which articles cannot lie under theirown weight.

The dispensing mechanism 12 located immediately subjacent to hopper case18 comprises the mechanism case 25 having a substantially openconfiguration being rigidly secured within exterior case It) and adaptedto support the operating elements of dispensing mechanism 12. Adownwardly converging chute is formed within mechanism case 25 by bafiieplate 26, agitating rocker assembly shown generally at 27, and guideplate 23 whereby articles 29 stored within hopper case 18 and the upperportion of mechanism case 25 are reduced to a single vertical stack inchannel 3t) substantially towards the rear of mechanism case 25.

Coin slide 17 secured to the lower front portion of mechanism case 25comprises an immovable body portion 31 and a movable slide 32. The innerend of slide 32 terminates in rigid attachment with projector plate 33having a downwardly formed lip 34. Upon the manual movement of slide 32inwardly lip 34 dislodges the lowermost article 35' in channel 30 andout an opening shown generally at 36 in mechanism case 25 whereuponarticle 35 drops into the space provided between mechanism case 25 andexterior case it) to fall upon a downwardly and forwardly sloping tray37 from whence it is deposited through an opening 3-3 in the lowerportion of exterior case It) into dispensin tray 39.

A horizontally disposed pin rigidly secured to projector plate 33projects through the horizontal slot ll in the side wall of mechanismcase to terminate in romasses 7 3 tatable attachment with a link 42.Rocker assembly 27 pivotally mounted to mechanism case about a midpointhas a lower extremity thereof rigidly secured to a pin 43 which projectsthrougha slot 44 formed in the side wall of mechanism case 25. Pin 43 isrotatably secured to the upper end of link 42 whereby manual movement ofslide 32 will through link 42 cause a rocking motion of rocker assembly27 thus agitating articles 29 within the lower portion of hopper 11thereby preventing a jamming of articles 2% in the converging portion ofmechanism case 25.

The upper face of rocker assembly 27 being concave imparts a rollingmotion to articles 2) resting thereon whereby horizontal as well asvertical movement is impar-ted to articles 2h thus eliminating anytendency to jam due to gravity feed alone.

A coin refusal mechanism located below coin slide 17 comprises a balancearm 45 pivotally secured to the side walls of mechanism case 25 by pin46 substantially at the mid-point thereof. A pressure plate 47 locatedimmediately below channel is rigidly secured to one end of balance arm45 whereby pressure of articles 29 upon pressure plate 47 will hold thecoin refusal mechanism in an inoperative position. Upon hopper l1 anddispensing mechanism 12 being empty of articles 29 a counter-balanceweight 43 rigidly secured to the distal end of balance arm i5 will bygravimetric pull cause pressure plate 47 to move upwardly to impingeupon lip 34- of projector plate 33 to prevent the inward movement ofslide 32 thus refusing an offered coin.

Lip 49 formed upwardly along the rear edge of pressure plate 47 retainslowermost article from being accidently dislodged and thus dispensed,the pressure of lip 34 on projector plate 33 however being sufficient toovercome the slight resistance offered by lip 49 upon normal dispensingbeing desired.

A vertically positioned tube 59 arrests the horizontal movement of coinspassing through coin slide 17 thereby allowing coins to drop through ahole 51 in the bottom of mechanism case 25 into collector box 13. Aremovable tray 52 in collector box 15 is locked in the normally closedposition by means of lock 16.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 3 and 4 it will be noted thatrocker assembly 27 comprises plate portion 53 extending across the fullwidth of hopper l1 and provides a movable extension of baffle plate 26which is rotatable about pin 54- extending across the mid-point thereof,through struck out portions 55 and mounted in mechanism case 25. Suchrotatable movement extends through an are which is more or less bisectedby baffle plate 26 whereby plate portion 53 can be moved from anorientation at a steeper angle than baflle plate 26 to an orientation ator through the horizontal to achieve effective agitation of articleswhich have already rolled off baffle plate 26 and are lying in contactwith, or above, plate portion 53. Mask members 56 and 57 are provided atrespective upper and lower edges of plate portion 53 in order to blockpassage of articles therearound which would obstruct operation of themachine. Mask 5:, is oriented to extend partially towards the lower edgeof bafile plate 26 when plate portion 53 is oriented at its steepestangle (as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 3) and being directed awaytherefrom when in the other position (as shown in phantom therein)baflle plate 26 being itself provided with mask 56 for similar purposes.Mask member 56 is directed towards the upper edge of plate 2% when plateportion 53 is in the phantomed position, corresponding to the inwardposition of coin slide 17, and forms an endwise extension thereof andconstitutes an upper portion of channel St in combination with mechanismcase 25. When plate portion 53 is in the position shown in solid lines,corresponding to the outward position of coin slide 17, mask member 57is located beneath plate portion 53 and forms no part of channel 30.

On the upper surface of plate portion 53, the wedgeshaped bias member 59is mounted to provide the concave face of rocker assembly 27 referred toabove. Bias member 5? is constituted by angled portion 60 rooted toplate portion 53 to one side of the centre line thereof defined by pin 5iand extending upwardly therefrom at an angle of about 45 degreestowards the lower edge of plate portion 53. Vertical portion till ofbias rnember 59 extends from the free end of angled portion 66 down tothe aforesaid lower edge of plate portion 53, substantially along theline of pin 43, and making an angle of approximately degrees therewith.

Angled portion so operates to bias articles lying on plate portion 53rearwardly and hence move articles lying on baffle plate 126 thusspreading the sifting action thereof throughout the entire lower portionof'hoppe-r 11. Vertical portion at serves to prevent escape of articlesin channel 3% and applies a downwardly directed component biassingarticles in channel 3d downwardly for delivery on the next inward strokeof coin slide 17.

The rotary movement of agitator assembly 27 is procured by links 42 asstated above, located on the exterior of mechanism case 25 andcommunicating with the interior thereof by pins 43 and 40 extendingthrough respective openings 44 and slots 41 whereby contact of articlesin channel 3t) with links 42 is avoided thus reducing jamming thereofand damage to such articles. Links 42 are themselves moved by projectorplate 33 which is supported for linear movement on slide members 62attached on either side of mechanism case 25 thus preventing downwardflexing of plate 33 and undue wear on the lower edges of slots dll.

in operation hopper casing 18 is filled with cylindrical articles (snownin FIGURE 2 as partially filled) the weight of such articles beingsupported by one or other of the battles 24, 26 and agitator assembly27. The lowermost such articles will roll into channel 30 filling thesame and depressing pressure plate 47 as shown. When an article ispurchased a coin is placed in coin slide 17 and movable slide 32 ispushed firmly inward to the full extent of its stroke. Such inwardmovement carries with it projection plate 33 sliding along slides 61 andlip 34 which engages the article lying on plate 47 and pushes it throughopening 36 allowing it to drop onto tray 37 and roll under its ownweight until arrested at dispensing tray 39. Delivery of furtherarticlesfrom channel 30 is blocked by projector plate 33 at this point.

Simultaneously with the dispensing and delivery of an article asdescribed, pin ltl attached to plate 33 will force the lower ends oflinks 42 to move forwardly thus causing the upper ends of links 4-2,attached to pin 43 to move upwardly. Such upward movement of pin 43 willforce agitator assembly 27 to swing around pin 43 from the positionshown in solid lines in FIGURE 3 to that shown in phantom. Such rockingor sec-saw movement will cause articles resting on the upper side ofplate portion 53 to drop downwardly and will simultaneously causearticles resting on angled portion 60 of bias member 5% to rise and moverearwardly towards baffle plate 26 thus in turn sifting articles lyingthereon. Such simultaneous upward and downward shuffling of articles, atleast in the lower portion of hopper casing in is effective to prevent jamming.

therein, and, due to the balancing of the weight of articles lying onplate portion 53 and angled portion 60, on either side of pin 40,requires only a modest effort on the part of the operator of themachine.

Any tendency for articles to become damaged or crushed due to suchshuffling motion is prevented by the provision of the cavity spacebeneath the lower baffle 24 described above which permits articles to bemomentarily lifted and dropped again with a minimum of resistance.Furthermore such spacing ensures that at no time does the agitatorassembly 27 carry a vertical stack in excess of about four or fivearticles in height thus avoiding the need for excessive force to beapplied.

In this way the natural bridging of articles in which one article mayact as a keystone for two or more others and lock them in position isbroken upby the upward and downward movement of articles, both onagitator assembly 27, where bridging may occur along the pivoting axisthereof, and also on bafile 26, the vertical and horizontal spacing ofadjacent baffles 24 being sufficient to prevent the formation ofbridging as stated.

Puncturing or rupture of articles due to crushing be tween agitatorassembly 27 and the front wall of hopper casing 18 is also avoided bythe provision of the concave surface thereon imparting a rolling andlifting action to such articles and such motion also acts tocontinuously re-align articles in hopper casing 18 with one another andavoid jamming due to twisting of articles therein.

During such rocking motion of agitator member 27 mask members 56 and 58and 57 co-operate to prevent escape of articles, beneath plate portion53, and from channel 30 respectively.

Movable slide 32 will then be withdrawn to the full extent of its strokecausing reverse rocking movement of agitator assembly 27, and releasingarticles in channel 30 which will then drop under their own weight, withthe lowermost resting upon plate 47. Any tendency to jam in channel 30at this point will be overcome by vertical portion 61 of bias member 59applying a downward component of force thereto.

When hopper casing 18 is empty counterbalance weight 48 will cause plate47 to swing upwardly and block inward movement of lip 34 and hence ofmoveable slide 32 thus indicating that the machine is empty.

In the foregoing description of this preferred embodiment variousdimensions have been related to the diameter of an article. However, inFIGURE 2 the relative minimum dimensions thereof areshown in terms ofthe width W of channel 30 which is itself somewhat larger than thediameter of an article to provide the necessary clearance, a factor ofabout percent having been found to be suitable in this case.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention by way of example only and the invention is not limited to thespecific features shown but contemplates all such variations as comewithin the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthsufiicient to accommodate at least four diameters of said articles;means defining an article feed path within said hopper of a width notless than three diameter of said articles; a mechanism case locatedbelow and in registration with said hopper having side walls spacedapart a distance substantially equal to the length of said articles; anarticle delivery channel located at the lower end of said mechanism caseof a width about 10% greater than the diameter of a said article forforming said articles into a vertical stack; agitator means swingablymounted adjacent the upper end of said channel between said side wallsof said mechanism case operable to move at least some said articles insaid hopper upwardly and articles in said channel downwardly anddislodging articles jamming therein; article delivery means slidablysupported in said mechanism case adjacent the lower end of said channelfor reciprocation relative thereto and oriented to engage and move thelowermost article therefrom; a coin slide mounted in said mechanism caseand connected to said article delivery means and to said agitator meansand operable to move same as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute at thelower end of said mechanism case oriented to receive articles moved bysaid delivery means and guide same to the exterior of said device.

2. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than at least two diameters of said articles; means defining anarticle feed path within said hopper of a width not less than threediameters of said articles; a mechanism case located below and inregistration with said hopper having side walls spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the length of said articles; an article deliverychannel located at the lower end of said mechanism case of a width about10% greater than the diameter of a said article for forming saidarticles into a vertical stack; agitator means swingably mountedadjacent the upper end of said channel between said side walls of saidmechanism case operable to move at least some articles in said hopperupwardly and articles in said channel downwardly and dislodging articlesjamming therein; means defining an article movement cavity within saidhopper located substantially vertically above said agitator means andspaced therefrom by about four article diameters to permit articlesmoved by said agitator to rise therein without crushing or damagethereto; article delivery means slidably supported in said mechanismcase adjacent the lower end of said channel for reciprocation relativethereto and oriented to engage and move the lowermost article therefrom;a coin slide mounted in said mechanism case and connected to saidarticle delivery means and to said agitator means and operable to movesame as aforesaid, and, a dispensing chute at the lower end of saidmechanism case oriented to receive articles move-d by said deliverymeans and guide same to the exterior of said device.

3. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than at least two diameters of said articles; at least twobatl'les in said hopper extending from opposite walls thereof towardsthe middle of said hopper, said batlies being spaced apart from oneanother and from the other of said walls to define an article feed pathin said hopper of not less than aboutthree article diameters; amechanism case located below and in registration with said hopper havingside walls spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length ofsaid articles; an article delivery channel located at the lower end ofsaid mechanism case of a width greater than the diameter of a saidarticle for forming said articles into a vertical stack; agitator meansswingably mounted adjacent the upper end of said channel between saidside Walls operable to move at least some of said articles in saidhopper upwardly and articles in said channel downwardly and dislodgingarticles jamming therein; slide means mounted on said side walls;article delivery means slidably supported on said slide means adjacentthe lower end of said channel for reciprocation relative thereto andoriented to engage and move the lowermost article therefrom; a coinslide mounted in said mechanism case connected to said article deliverymeans and to said agitator means and operate to move same as aforesaid;a gravity operated coin slide lock held inoperative by the weight of asaid article in said stack; and a dispensing chute oriented to receivearticles moved by said delivery means and guide same to the exterior ofsaid device.

4. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than about six diameters of said articles; means defining anarticle feed path within said hopper of a width not less than threediameters of said articles; a mechanism case located below and inregistration with said hopper having side walls spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the length of said articles; an article deliverychannel located at the lower end of said mechanism case of a width about10% greater than the diameter of said article for forming said articlesinto a vertical stack; an agitator plate portion extending across saidmechanism case and of a width equal to at least two article diameterspivotally mounted in said mechanism case for rocking about a centralaxis thereof adjacent the upper end of said channel to move at leastsome said articles in said hopper upwardly and some said articlesdownwardly; at least one article movement cavity provided in said hopperto permit vertical movement of said articles therein without crushing ordamage thereto; slide means mounted on said side walls; article deliverymeans slidably supported on said side walls adjacent the lower end ofsaid channel for reciprocation relative thereto and oriented to engageand move the lowermost article therefrom; a coin slide connected to saidarticle delivery means and to said agitator means and operable to movesame as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute oriented to receive articlesmoved by said delivery means and guide same to the exterior of saiddevice.

5. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than at least two diameters of said articles; means defining anarticle feed path within said hopper of a width not less than threediameters of said articles; mechanism casing means located below saidhopper an article delivery channel located at the lower end of saidcasing means of a width about greater than the diameter of said articlefor forming said articles into a vertical stack; an agitator plateportion extending across said casing means and of a width equal to atleast two article diameters pivotally mounted for rocking about acentral axis thereof adjacent the upper end of said channel to move somesaid articles in said hopper; a bias member directed at an angle ofabout fortyfive degrees to said agitator plate portion fastened to oneside of the pivoting axis thereof oriented to move some said articlesboth sideways and upwards; article delivery means slidably supported insaid casing means adjacent the lower end of said channel forreciprocation relative thereto and oriented to engage and move thelowermost articles therefrom; a coin slide mounted in said casing meansconnected to said article delivery means and to said agitator means andoperable to move same as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute at the lowerend of said casing means oriented to receive articles moved by saiddelivery means and guide same to the exterior of said device.

6. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than about six diameters of said articles; means defining anarticle feed path within said hopper of a width not less than threediameters of said articles; mechanism casing means located below saidhopper; an article delivery channel located at the lower end of saidcasing means of a width about 10% greater than the diameter of a saidarticle for forming said articles into a vertical stack; an agitatorplate portion extending across the interior of said casing means and ofa width equal to at least two article diameters pivotally mounted forrocking about a central axis thereof adjacent the upper end of saidchannel to move some said articles in said hopper; a bias member on oneside of said agitator plate portion located to one side of the pivotingaxis thereof oriented to move some said articles upwardly and some saidarticles sideways; mask members extending from said agitator plateportion on the other side thereof oriented to prevent movement of saidarticles therearound; link-age means swingably connected to saidagitator plate portion exteriorly of said casing means; means definingan article movement cavity within said hopper located substantiallyvertically above said agitator means and spaced therefrom by about fourarticle diameters to permit anticles moved by said agitator to risetherein without crushing or damage thereto; article delivery meansslidably supported adjacent the lower end of said channel forreciprocation relative thereto and oriented to engage and move thelowermost article therefrom and connected to said linkage means; a coinslide connected to said article elivery means and to said agitator meansand operable to move same as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute orientedto receive articles moved by said delivery means and guide same to theexterior of said device.

7. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than about six diameters of said articles; upper and lowerbattle means extending from a front wall of said hopper towards a backwall thereof at an angle of between thirty and forty-five degrees andterminating at about the mid-point of said hopper to define a spacingfrom said back wall equal to at least three article diameters;intermediate bafile means extending from said back wall towards saidfront wall at any angle of between thirty and forty-five degrees andterminating at about the mid-point of said hopper to define a spacingfrom said front Wall and said upper and lower baflle means equal to atleast three article diameters; mechanism casing means located below saidhopper; an article delivery channel located at the lower end of saidcasing means of a width greater than the diameter of a said article forforming said articles into a vertical stack; agitator means swingablymounted adjacent the upper end of said channel in said casing meansoperable to move some said articles in said hopper upwardly and somesaid articles downwardly and feed them towards said channel Whiledislodging articles jamming therein and simultaneously move saidarticles therein downwardly; article delivery means movably supportedadjacent the lower end of said channel for reciprocation relativethereto and oriented to engage and move the lowermost article therefrom;opposed slide members mounted in said casing means for supporting saiddelivery means; coin responsive means mounted in said casing meansconnected to said article delivery means and to said agitator means andoperable to move same as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute at the lowerend of said casing means oriented to receive articles moved by saiddelivery means and guide same to the exterior of said device.

8. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than at least two diameters of said articles; upper and lowerbattle means extending from a front wall of said hopper towards a backWall thereof at an angle of between thirty and forty-five degrees andterminating at about the mid-point of said hopper to define a spacingfrom said backwall equal to at least three article diameters;intermediate baffle means extending from said back wall towards saidfront wall at an angle of between thirty and forty-five degrees andterminating at about the mid-point of said hopper to define a spacingfrom said front wall and said upper and lower bafiie means equal to atleast three article diameters; mechanism casing means located below saidhopper; an article delivery channel located at the lower end of saidcasing means of a width greater than the diameter of a said article forforming said articles into a vertical stack; an agitator plate portionextending across said casing means and of a Width equal to at least twoarticle diameters pivotally mounted for rocking about a central axisthereof adjacent the upper end of said channel to move at least somesaid articles in said hopper; upwardly and said articles in said channeldownwardly; a bias member on one side of said agitator plate portiondirected at an angle of about forty-five degrees thereto and located toone side of the pivoting axis thereof; mask members extending from saidagitator plate portion on the other side thereof oriented to preventmovement of said articles therearound; article delivery means movablysupported adjacent the lower end of said channel for reciprocationrelative thereto and oriented to engage and move the lowermost articletherefrom; opposed slide members mounted in said casing means andsupporting said delivery means; coin responsive means connected to saidarticle delivery means and to said agitator means and operable to movesame as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute oriented to receive articlesmoved by said delivery means and guide same to the exterior of saiddevice.

9. A device for vending cylindrical articles comprising: a hopper havinga length substantially equal to the length of said articles and a widthgreater than about six diameters of said articles; upper and lowerbafile means eX- tending from a front wall of said hopper towards a backwall thereof at an angle of between thirty and forty five degrees andterminating at about the mid-point of said hopper to define a spacingfrom said back wall equal to at least three article diameters;intermediate baffle means extending from said back wall towards saidfront wall at an angle of between thirty and forty-five degrees andterminating at about the mid-point of said hopper to define a spacingfrom said front wall and said upper and lower baffle means equal to atleast three article diameters; an offset wall portion forming part ofsaid back wall located beneath said intermediate baffle means andco-operating therewith to define an article movement cavity; mechanismcasing means located below said hopper; an article delivery channellocated at the lower end of said casing means of a width greater thanthe diameter of a said article for forming said articles into a verticalstack; agitator means swingably mounted adjacent the upper end of saidchannel in said casing means operable to move at least some saidarticles in said hopper upwardly and said articles in said channeldownwardly and dislodging articles jamming therein; slide means mountedin said casing means; article delivery means slida'oly supported on saidslide means adjacent the lower end of said channel for reciprocationrelative thereto and oriented to engage and move the lowermost articletherefrom; a coin slide mounted in said mechanism casing means andconnected to said article delivery means and to said agitator means andoperable to move same as aforesaid; and, a dispensing chute located atthe lower end of said casing means oriented to receive articles moved bysaid delivery means and guide same to the exterior of said device.

10. In a device for dispensing cylindrical articles of equal diameter,said device having article dispensing means operable from the exteriorof said device and comprising: a hopper having a length substantiallyequal to the length of said articles and a width greater than about sixdiameters of said articles; means defining an article feed path withinsaid hopper of a width not less than three diameters of said articles;mechanism casing means located below said hopper; an article deliverychannel located at the lower end of said casing means of a width aboutgreater than the diameter of a said article for forming said articlesinto a vertical stack; an agitator plate portion extending across saidcasing means and of a width equal to at least two article diameterspivotally mounted for rocking about a central axis thereof adjacent theupper end of said channel to move at least some said articles in saidhopper upwardly and some said articles downwardly; a bias member on oneside of said agitator plate portion located to one side of the pivotingaxis thereof and having two biassing surfaces thereon, one said surfacebeing oriented to move some said articles in said hopper in a sidewaysdirection and the other said surface being oriented to move saidarticles in said channel downwardly; one said surface being directed atan angle of about forty-five degrees thereto and the other surface beingsubstantially normal thereto; article delivery means movably supportedadjacent the lower end of said channel operable to engage and move thelowermost article therefrom for dispensing as aforesaid; and, slidemeans in said casing supporting said delivery means.

11. In a device for dispensing cylindrical articles of equal diameter,said device having article dispensing means operable from the exteriorof said device and comprising: a hopper having a length substantiallyequal to the length of said articles and a width greater than about sixdiameters of said articles; upper and lower battle means extending froma front wall of said hopper towards a back wall thereof at an angle ofbetween thirty and forty-five degrees and terminating at about themidlit) point of said hopper to define a spacing from said back wallequal to at least three article diameters; intermediate baflle meansextending from said back wall towards said front wall at an angle ofbetween thirty and fortyfive degrees and terminating at about themid-point of said hopper to define a spacing from said front wall andsaid upper and lower baflie means equal to at least three articlediameters; mechanism casing means located below said hopper; an articledelivery channel located at the lower end of said casing means of awidth greater than the diameter of a said article for forming saidarticles into a vertical stack; an agitator plate portion extendingacross said casing means and of a width equal to at least two articlediameters pivotally mounted for rocking about a central axis thereofadjacent the upper end of said channel to move at least some saidarticles in said hopper upwardly and some said articles downwardly; abias member on one side of said agitator plate portion directed at anangle of about forty-five degrees thereto located to one side of thepivoting axis thereof oriented to move some said articles in a sidewaysdirection and articles in said channel downwardly; article deliverymeans movably supported adjacent the lower end of said channel operableto engage and move the lowermost article therefrom for dispensing asaforesaid and, slide members in opposition to one another within saidcasing supporting said delivery means.

12. In a device for dispensing cylindrical articles of equal diameter,said device having article dispensing means operable from the exteriorof said device and comprising: a hopper having a length substantiallyequal to the length of said articles and a width greater than about sixdiameters of said articles; upper and lower bafile means extending froma front wall of said hopper towards a back wall thereof at an angle ofbetween thirty and forty-five degrees and terminating at about themidpoint of said hopper to define a spacing from said back wall equal toat least three article diameters; intermediate baffie means extendingfrom said back wall towards said front wall at an angle of betweenthirty and forty-five degrees and terminating at about the mid-point ofsaid hopper to define a spacing from said front wall and said upper andlower bafiie means equal to at least three article diameters; an offsetwall portion forming part of said back wall located beneath saidintermediate batfie means and co-oper-ating therewith to define anarticle movement cavity mechanism casing means located below saidhopper; an article delivery channel located at the lower end of saidcasing means of a width greater than the diameter of a said article forforming said articles into a vertical stack; agitator means mounted insaid casing means adjacent the upper end of said channel operable tomove at least some said articles in said hopper upwardly and some saidarticles downwardly and feed them towards said channel while dislodgingarticles jamming therein and to move said articles in said channeldownwardly; article delivery means movably supported adjacent the lowerend of said channel operable to engage and move the lowermost articletherefrom for dispensing as afore said; and, slide members mountedwithin said casing on opposite sides thereof supporting said deliverymeans.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 947,755 1/10Peters et al. 221-152 X 1,767,112 6/30 Antoine et al. 221183 2,136,08911/38 Stone 221-11 2,732,974 1/56 Hedges 221-202 X 3,095,997 7/63 Garvin221 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Acting Primary Examiner. ERNEST A. FALLER, 3a.,Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR VENDING CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES COMPRISING: A HOPPER HAVINGA LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID ARTICLES AND A WIDTHSUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE AT LEAST FOUR DIAMETERS OF SAID ARTICLES;MEANS DEFINING AN ARTICLE FEED PATH WITHIN SAID HOPPER OF A WIDTH NOTLESS THAN THREE DIAMETERS OF SAID ARTICLES; A MECHANISM CASE LOCATEDBELOW AND IN REGISTRATION WITH SAID HOPPER HAVING SIDE WALLS SPACEDAPART A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID ARTICLES; ANARTICLE DELIVERY CHANNEL LOCATED AT THE LOWER END OF SAID MECHANISM CASEOF A WIDTH ABOUT 10% GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF A SAID ARTICLE FORFORMING SAID ARTICLES INTO A VERTICAL STACK; AGITATOR MEANS SWINGABLYMOUNTED ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID CHANNEL BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLSOF SAID MECHANISM CASE OPERABLE TO MOVE AT LEAST SOME SAID ARTICLES INSAID HOPPER UPWARDLY AND ARTICLES IN SAID CHANNEL DOWNWARDLY ANDDISLODGING ARTICLES JAMMING THEREIN; ARTICLE DELIVERY MEANS SLIDABLYSUPPORTED IN SAID MECHANISM CASE ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF SAID CHANNELFOR RECIPROCATING RELATIVE THERETO AND ORIENTED TO ENGAGE AND MOVE THELOWERMOST ARTICLE